The holiday season in Moab officially begins this weekend with the Moab Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Winter Sun Festival.

The festivities begin Friday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. with the City Tree Lighting at Swanny City Park on 100 West. Santa is scheduled to make an appearance, and Moab’s Valley Voices and the Grand County High School choir and band will provide music and caroling. Hot cocoa and cookies will be provided by Zions Bank.

More music will be offered later Friday night during the Holiday Benefit Concert at 7:30 p.m. at Star Hall, 159 E. Center St. The concert features folk and holiday music by Moab’s John and Shaunna Sanders and friends. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Family passes are available for $25. The concert is a benefit for the Moab Free Health Clinic. For more information about the clinic, visit www.moabfreehealthclinic.org.

Two holiday crafts fairs will also be held throughout the weekend. The Grand Center, 182 North 500 West, will host a variety of vendors from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The craft fair features food booths serving up Navajo tacos, Frito pie, homemade soup, assorted homemade pies cinnamon rolls and sticky buns.

The Moab Arts and Recreation Center, 111 East 100 North, will host a craft fair from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday. Santa will be available much of the day to have his picture taken with area kids.

The BEACON Moab Strings Program is scheduled to perform at the MARC on Friday, Dec. 6 beginning at about 6 p.m. The performance, which features second-year and advanced musicians from grades two through 10, will last approximately 25 minutes.

More than 50 local and regional artisans, bakers and crafters will be on hand, displaying a wide array of items including photography, paintings, ceramics, textiles, sculpture, jewelry, glass work, woodwork, metalwork, candles, soaps, salves and baked goods.

For those seeking an energetic start to the holiday season, the Winter Sun 10k run begins Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Moab Golf Course and ends at the Grand County High School track. Registration may be made online through Thursday at www.moabhalfmarathon.com. After that, entrants may register at the packet pickup Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the high school cafeteria or from 8:15-9:30 a.m. Saturday, also at the school cafeteria.

The weekend festivities conclude at dark on Saturday, Dec. 7, with the chamber’s 16th annual Electric Light Parade. Free hot chocolate will be available at the Cocoa Shack, sponsored by Moab Regional Hospital, which will be set up at Center and Main streets. The parade begins at Swanny Park, proceeds south on Main Street and ends at the Grand County Middle School.

We're glad to give readers a forum to express their points of view on issues important to this community. That forum is the “Letters to the Editor.” Letters to the editor may be submitted directly to The Times-Independent through this link and will be published in the print edition of the newspaper. All letters must be the original work of the letter writer – form letters will not be accepted. All letters must include the actual first and last name of the letter writer, the writer’s address, city and state and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be accepted.

Letters may not exceed 400 words in length, must be regarding issues of general interest to the community, and may not include personal attacks, offensive language, ethnic or racial slurs, or attacks on personal or religious beliefs. Letters should focus on a single issue. Letters that proselytize or focus on theological debates will not be published. During political campaigns, The Times-Independent will not publish letters supporting or opposing any local candidate. Thank you letters are generally not accepted for publication unless the letter has a public purpose. Thank you letters dealing with private matters that compliment or complain about a business or individual will not be published. Nor will letters listing the names of individuals and/or businesses that supported a cause or event. Thank you letters about good Samaritan acts will be considered at the discretion of the newspaper.